Since the Art-at-Heart campaign was launched 16 years ago, Cashbuild has helped more than 2200 schools in Southern Africa with over R26-million worth of building materials.

Thembisa North schools get a new look at last

Hungry learners, a shortage of classrooms and unpaved school grounds are just a few of the problems the primary schools in Thembisa North have been battling with but all these problems are about to be fixed. The renovations were made possible following the schools’ entry into the Cashbuild Art-at-Heart competition. Olifantsfontein, Kanana, Bright Start College Primary School and five other lucky Thembisa North primary schools all received a building material voucher worth R12 000 at the Cashbuild Thembisa North store opening ceremony on 19 September 2013.

Principal Lefibana Molepo from Olifantsfontein Primary School was surprised: “We were very surprised when we found out that our school had been chosen as one of the Art-at-Heart competition winners. Our school is 100 years old and is in need of attention. We can now tick another thing off the school’s list of priorities when we pave the school ground.”
Kanana Primary School’s Principal SC Malobola said: “There are so many projects that we could start at the school. One of them is tiling – we would like to tile five classrooms this year. When we have completed the tiling, we are planning to do general maintenance such as painting inside and outside of the school, repairing and replacing broken school furniture and buying equipment for the feeding scheme.”

Vice Principal Maggie Coertze from Bright Start College Primary School said: “We are all very excited about the competition and thankful for the help that we received from Cashbuild. We have been customers of Cashbuild for many years and will continue to do so. Bright Start College grew tremendously over the past few years and the existing school has just become too small for all the new learners coming in. We have had to build new classrooms and because of Cashbuild we can now buy much needed materials for our building project.”

At the official Cashbuild Thembisa North store opening ceremony on 19 September, when the building materials vouchers totaling R96 000 were presented to all eight schools, the children entertained everyone with singing, cultural dances and theatrical performances.
The Cashbuild Art-at-Heart competition entails learners from each school submitting their best artwork to Cashbuild. This artwork is displayed at the ceremony, and then remains on display in the Cashbuild store for the next five years.
Artwork was judged and three winners from each school were named. Winners received Cashbuild Art-at-Heart gold, silver and bronze certificates for first, second and third place respectively. The Manager’s Choice award was also presented to the lucky winner, Kagiso Molokwane from Kanana Primary School for the artwork competition. This award was announced on the day and the winner received a stationery pack and a glass trophy.

The schools and children that benefited from the Cashbuild Art-at-Heart donations were:

Moriting Primary School

R12,000

Karabo Sekwakua – Gold

Tebogo Sibanda – Silver

Steven Majozi – Bronze

Drake Koka Primary School

R12,000

Lungile Memela – Gold

Maboe Thabo – Silver

Mavis Chitlangu – Bronze

Bright Start College Primary School

R12,000

Tricia Kajokofo – Gold

Orifha Rakwana – Silver

Gift Khosa – Bronze

Kanana Primary School

R12,000

Tshegofatso Maloka – Gold

Phelello Shai – Silver

Megan Malakalaka – Bronze

Mikateka Primary School

R12,000

Phumlani Samela – Gold

Musa Dludlu – Silver

Gilbert Sekhaolelo – Bronze

Sedi-Laka Primary School

R12,000

Michael Ndlovu – Gold

Karobo Seokologa – Silver

Marry Simuzinga – Bronze

Kaalfontein Primary School

R12,000

Mpho Monareng – Gold

Themba Mabaso – Silver

Siyabongo Sambo – Bronze

Olifantsfontein Primary School

R12,000

Mduduzi Radebe – Gold

Rowan Christy – Silver

Anthatile Moepya – Bronze

Since the Art-at-Heart campaign was launched in 2001, Cashbuild has helped more than 870 schools with over R9-million worth of building materials.
Cashbuild is BEE compliant and every time a store is opened, relocated or refurbished, Cashbuild not only makes donations to local schools, but also creates jobs for community members.

The Art-at-Heart competition is a national Cashbuild initiative whereby donations are made to some of the country’s most needy schools.